The hardest price to pay
by Alexie Mills
Summary: The plot is set in the episode 2x10 when Regina disappeared in the purple cloud after beeing hurt by Emma's words. She decided to do one irreversible thing to end up her pain. But what if something unexpected happen and suddenly she appears at the place she never meant to go? Will she find a way to her happiness? I do not own anything!


**Hello, my readers! :)**

**Welcome to my first fanfiction ever. I hope you'll like it as much as I liked to write it and thank you for reading in advance. **  
**Please, excuse me for all my grammar mistakes. English is not my language and I'm learning it only for a few years. **  
**I would really like to say a big THANK YOU to my OncerFamily who will recognize themselves and who were (and they always are) the greatest support ever! I love you all!**

**Reviews (also bad ones) are always welcomed, I'd like to know your opinions :)**

**Here's the First Chapter:**

She opened her eyes and there were still little violet particles flying around her. They reflected the light of the sun and sparkled in the air. She let them touch her body until their power didn't fade down and they didn't disappear in the wind. She used to be fascinated with magic, even if she was often scared. It gave her a feel of self-control and an opportunity to do something with her destiny, to change it. Then she didn't feel nothing, she thought she won't be able to feel something anymore. And now it was only pain and despair so big to break the heart. Again. "Love is weakness, Regina!"

She looked at the borderline of Storybrooke, where she appeared. She wanted to be alone, far away from all these accusive eyes. Far away from here. In her mind she always had a situation that happened just a few minutes ago. They didn't believe her. Despite of all her efforts and proofs that she's honest with them, they didn't believe her! "You could pretend all you want but we know how you are and who you will always be." These words were resonating in her ears like an echo in the mountains. "...who you will always be..."

This borderline could redeem her from all those suffering she couldn't bear anymore. She had no more strenght to see how others are trying to steel her happy ending. This step, only this little step forward was enough to forget who she is and what's the bond she has to this place. It would be the relief she brought to others, but not to herself, when she moved everyone to Storybrooke. She thought the new beginning will help her, but no one was so merciful to her. Nothing began again and it was only worse and empty.

"I don't wanna be you," pierced her heart like a sharp arrow. Sentence which hurt her so much, said by the most loved one. Sentence which was so well known for her. And her heart kept bleeding. What if it's true and she really can't be Regina like she was before she lost Daniel? What if she won't be able to love and fulfill his last wish? Where's the power now? Henry deserves to have someone by his side who could give him all this love and care she never had. Someone who's really able to do it. Emma Swan wasn't the worst candidate after all. She looked down to the orange borderline again. She didn't hesitate anymore. In the name of love to Henry she crossed it.

She could feel an electric discharge all over her body. In her head were screaming voices and she could barely stand on her feet. She had an impression that all trees around her want to suffocate her. They snaked their massive slimy branch stubs around her and she fell down to the ground. „Did you think it would be easier for you, right?" it screamed from all directions. „Did you think that you could simply forget to redeem yourself? You were wrong again! There's always a price for magic!" roared everywhere. She was choking with her own tears and shaking on the ground. She didn't know anymore if it's caused by the power of magic or her own feelings. The noise was getting stronger and provoked an intense pain so she wasn't able to see anything. She could stop it by one and only movement of her hand, but instead of that she took out a little golden medallion with rubies as red as blood, where a little silver feather was hanging. The birthday gift from Henry, she loved it so much. At this time everything was right. She attached them to her lips and she allowed to that neverending magic flow to take her. She fell unconscious and suddenly there was silence everywhere.

* * *

"Henry!" said Emma after the dark purple smoke dissapeared and she was running down the street. "I'm so done with you, Regina! All you know is only lying and playing with human hearts!" Snow was still looking at the place where Regina stayed a while ago.

"It wasn't her," she said.

"What?" David was staring at her and he couldn't believe what he just heard.

"I don't think it was Regina," she told him with more confidence in her voice.

"Snow! You saw it! She killed Archie like she already did to many people before. Without hesitation. Do you remember how she tried to kill you? You had the same opinion. Don't let people manipulate with you. Regina is master of manipulation and evil. She changed, Snow. You're too kind to her and she doesn't deserve it. Today we have family here that has to be protected. It's not about us and the kingdom anymore."

"You're right, David, she did change," she played with her hair nervously. "Did you see her at Granny's yesterday evening? She tried so hard. It's also thanks to her that we can be here, she saved us and she got us back to Storybrooke. Why would she do it otherwise?"

"To see you both suffer, she loves it. And because she doesn't want to loose her image for Henry to accept her again. All Regina can do is hurt people! Sooner or later." He answered angrily.

Snow closed her eyes. In her mind she could clearly see the moment when Regina came to her cell, when all condemned her and judged her for Katherine's murder, although it wasn't true. David also did. She was frightened of all this hate. She didn't understand where it came from. She was so desperate she could confess anything and her point of view changed. She felt so alone and her heart was squeezed by pain, when suddenly Regina's hand appeared on her cheek and this quick soft touch left in her something permanent. She didn't want to admit it, she was scared that's only a product of her crazy fantasy, but in that moment she could say there was her mother standing in front of her, despite of all this hate in her face. Mother, she was missing so much in the bottom of her heart. At that time she had Emma who believed in her, but does Regina have someone by her side to believe in her?

The ground suddenly shaked. In the distance there were green rays of magical light expanding and tension was flowing in the air.

"Wasn't it the borderline?" Snow asked with a fear in her eyes.

* * *

„I dare to say I see a compassion in your eyes, Cora" said Rumplestiltskin with an ironical smile, staying near window in his house. On his face there was a reflection of green lightning.. „Congratulations, you have just reached what you wanted. Portal has been opened, like our deal said."

She smiled in her sweetest way. „What's your price for this magic this time?" she asked.

„Let's say, I'm doing it for our alliance in the future." He looked in her eyes and she could see more than amusement there.

„Come on, Rumple, we know each other enough to believe that you could do something unselfishly. Of course if it's not about children." She almost sang.

„I want your son back, Cora."

* * *

Ruby was walking on the forest road near the borderline. She was sent there by Emma to control what happened. In the distance she heard cracking of the dry branches. Her wolf instincts had never betrayed her, even in her human form. She stopped to look around and decided not to give a chance to be seen by her adversary. She was more than sure it wasn't an animal, she felt it. She was waiting, that it will approach to her, but nothing like this happened. It confused her, but she chose to continue her way to the woods. Suddenly she heard a scream. She ran to that direction and what she saw, it shocked her. There was a girl in a pink devastated dress leaned against the tree and it was visible that she's bleeding. She was clearly disorientated.

„Please, don't hurt me!" she fastened her scared eyes on Ruby.

„Hey, don't be afraid, you're safe here, nothing bad will happen to you anymore" she tried to calm her down. She took her hand and she felt she was trembling.

„You lost a lot of blood, you have to go to the hospital" she said worried. „Do you think you can walk slowly with me for a little while?" she asked. Girl nodded. Ruby dialed Emma's number on her cell phone.

„By the way, I'm Ruby" she smiled.

„I'm Aurora"


End file.
